When Leonard Garcia steps in the cage for his co-main event fight against Nick Gonzalez at Legacy FC 23 on September 13, 2013 there is more on the line than with most his fights. With a win Leonard gets either a title shot in Legacy FC or possibly a return to the UFC.

A Late Night Cageside radio show regular, Leonard Garcia is not focusing on those things, instead he’s focused on showing his improvements and using his new tools. The drive and passion he has shown since his departure from the UFC is nothing short of spectacular. Having Greg Jackson and Duane Ludwig in your corner doesn’t hurt either.

Leonard Garcia joined Kinch and Chase last Monday night to discuss all of these things and more.

LNC – How you feeling? How you doing?

Leonard Garcia – I’m feeling great, feeling good, of course I’m out here training with alpha male and all the guys and of course Duane Ludwig and I feel good. I ended my camp out here this time, where as before I was starting my camp out here. This time I felt it was smart to end it (at team alpha male)

LNC – Why did you make that decision to switch it up this time?

Leonard Garcia – I felt like when I got back to Jackson’s I was more technically sound, like I was doing things that were proper and correct whenever I got to team Jackson’s and started scrapping. Whenever I was down here with Duane he would stop me, tell me to slow down, work the technique, and just try to get the technical side down. When he showed up to corner me in my last fight he was like man we worked on this step here and you’re not stepping off. It showed in the fight and in the third round he told me look calm down, do things correctly, throw your kick cross, don’t look for it just throw it. I was like all right cool and it was so crazy that he just told me that and it worked out perfectly. I threw a cross kick and knocked the guy out. I just felt like being here at the end of my camp would keep all those things sharp and that way when I roll into the fight it would keep those things programmed in.

LNC- What are Greg Jackson’s thoughts on you ending your camp at Alpha Male?

Leonard Garcia – Greg comments all the time that if he see’s the drive and change it’s made in me and improvements I made, and that if he would’ve known the improvement’s I’ve made he would of took me out of the UFC a long time ago to keep me from those losses. On the other hand it’s all part of my motivation to get back. I think the change of training and everything you know, like I’ve turned a page and also turned the corner and I feel it.

LNC – Tell us about your opponent Nick Gonzalez at Legacy FC 23

Leonard Garcia – Well I have a three fight deal with them (Legacy FC) where the third fight is for the title and instead of giving me the guy for the title in my second fight they gave me the guy that he (the champ) fought last. It makes sense for me because this opponent is someone who got a really good stand-up game, I feel like that’s where he excels, so it’s going to allow me to work different things and that’s really my goal with everything I do outside the UFC is to show I do have a wrestling game, I do have a jiu-jitsu game. Not to say I’m not coming in looking for the knockout but I would like to show everything I’ve been working.

For everyone wondering about if the plan for Leonard Garcia is still to return to the UFC he had this to say…

Leonard Garcia – Hopefully it’s two fights, hopefully I can do things right with this fight and get back in. I’m definitely still in good terms with them, they still check on me to see where I’m at, how I’m feeling, how I’m doing and stuff like that. I’m willing to step in on short notice if they need me for anything. These are all things that are positives for me. It keeps me motivated knowing I am going to go back.

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